PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Guillermo Benzali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sotiro Poulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Benzali
vs
Poulos

178 cm
18
181 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
163 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Big Bear Nutrition 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Guillermo Benzali!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sotiro Poulos!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Radbod Blank and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Benzali. No joy for Poulos on that attempt.

Benzali shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Poulos looking to hit a scissor sweep but Benzali is one step ahead there.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Poulos is on top in guard.

Poulos controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Benzali looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poulos stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Benzali swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Benzali is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Poulos wants to pass the guard but Benzali is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulos stays in close to Benzali's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poulos stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Benzali swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Benzali is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Poulos is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Poulos is not content to let Benzali control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Benzali is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Poulos slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Poulos pulls Benzali in close to his closed guard and prevents Benzali from doing any damage or advancing position.
Benzali trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benzali is fighting to break Poulos's control of his arms but Poulos is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Benzali wants to control from the top but Poulos keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Poulos shoots in for a takedown but Benzali shows good takedown defense.

Benzali is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Poulos's half guard.
Benzali moves nicely into side control.
Poulos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Poulos looking for a sweep but Benzali has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poulos is working to get back to half guard.
Benzali lands a big elbow.
Benzali misses with a head shot.
Benzali controlling the position easily from mount.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Benzali goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Poulos is on top in guard.
Benzali is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Benzali trying to control the position.

Benzali looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Poulos must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Poulos stopping the sweep attempt from Benzali.
Poulos wants to pass the guard but Benzali is keeping the position.

Poulos drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Benzali dives on top into guard.

Poulos keeping moving, preventing Benzali from controlling successfully.
Benzali loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Benzali has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Poulos is proving hard to escape from.
Poulos can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Benzali controls the pace.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Benzali trying to control but Poulos is working from the bottom.
Poulos looking for a sweep. Not yet Poulos, not yet.
Benzali slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Poulos trying to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Poulos shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Benzali defends it nicely.
Guillermo Benzali has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sotiro Poulos.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Benzali stuffs the takedown.
Poulos dives in and grabs Benzali's left leg, looking for a takedown. Benzali pushes down on Poulos's head and hops out.
Poulos looks winded!
No luck for Benzali with that takedown attempt.

Benzali closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Poulos quickly recovers to half guard.
Poulos manages to get to full guard.
Poulos controls Benzali momentarily but Benzali frees himself.
Benzali trying to control the position from guard on top but Poulos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Poulos seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Benzali trying to control the position from guard on top but Poulos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Benzali looking to pass the guard.
Benzali is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Benzali throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Poulos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Poulos looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Benzali!
Benzali regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Guillermo Benzali dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Benzali keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Benzali throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Poulos was covering up waiting for the punch and Benzali finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Benzali engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Benzali is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Poulos can do to turn this around?
Benzali wants to stand but Poulos is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Benzali avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Benzali wants to stand and escape but instead Poulos has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Benzali throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Benzali keeping full guard, as Poulos tries to pass.
Benzali is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Poulos is fighting to break Benzali's control of his arms but Benzali is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Poulos is sitting in close to Benzali's body. Benzali has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Poulos is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Poulos is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Benzali.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:22 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Guillermo Benzali!
Guillermo Benzali is the new welterweight champion!